Hard Lip Fern

viridis: green, glauca: grey-green; referring to the colour of the lamina.

Rhizome short, creeping, c.5 mm in diameter; rhizome scales lanceolate, brown to rust-coloured with dark brown central stripe, apex slowly tapering to a point, margin minutely toothed, up to 3 mm long. Fronds tufted, erect to arching, blue to pale green, thinly coracious. Stipe dark brown to blackish, shining, up to 33 cm long, longer or shorter than the lamina, grooved, set with scattered scales, more so towards the base. Lamina varying in size, shape and dissection; up to 20 cm × 8 cm, lanceolate to deltate or triangular in outline, mostly 2-pinnate to 4-pinnatifid, lower pinnae slightlyt basiscopically developed. Pinnules ovate-oblong in outline, apex rounded to slightly pointed, margin entire to minutely crenate, venation free, distinct, both surfaces hairless. Rhachis and secondary rhachis dark brown to black, deeply grooved with wings a paler chestnut colour, set with scattered, appressed hairlike scales, not pubescent in the axils. Sori marginal; indusium continuous, membranous, erose.

Common

Widespread in S. Africa and E. tropical Africa, also in Angola and Mauritius.